Recorded while on tour with Devendra Banhart in Europe, "Life and Live" features a mix of songs from A Promise, Fabulous Muscles, and La Foret as well as ohers and also some curious and fun field recordings from the tour.
The album features a minimalist pairing of mainly acoustic guitar and vocals - absent are the alternately jarring and beautiful electronics that I've seen Stewart brandish live to such great effect and too the wonderful percussion and other fiddly bits that Caralee McElroy adds to Xiu Xiu of late.
The album doesn't suffer from their absence, though, it's just a bit of a different sound for Xiu Xiu, though not too much of a departure really – some listeners might actually prefer the delicate intimacy of Life and Live... I think I might include myself in that group, although I hate to admit it because Stewart's fully orchestrated recorded compositions are so bloody brilliant too.
Compelling as always!
